The Chilean mining production has collapsed 12.6%( year-on-year average) due to less copper production, while the manufacturing industry fell down 4.6%, according to information provided by the Statistics National Institute (INE).

“The decrease of the mining activity, could be explained by the high comparison base and due to the less production of copper and iron”, the Institute explained.

During January, Chile produced 453.638 copper metric tons, this means 72.488 tons less in relation to the same month of the past year.

With the third of the worldwide offer, Chile is the main producer of copper in the world, but the industry is suffering by the international falling in price of the metal, dragged by the decrease of the Chinese demand, its main buyer.

On its behalf, the drop of the interannual variation of 4.6%, registered at the manufacturing production rate, was generated because of the activity decrease on nine of the thirteen divisions which are measured by the indicator.